Hey, Bartender
by AutumnMobile12
Summary: At first, he assumes she's just another woman pleading on behalf of her deadbeat boyfriend. Mai x Shizuo
1. Chapter 1

_Monotony_

At first, he assumes she's just another woman coming into the office to plead on behalf of her deadbeat boyfriend, the type of sob story that has the same generic plot every time: The naïve country bumpkin who moves to the city for an exciting life and meets 'the nicest guy in the world' and falls in love with him immediately. But there's a catch, 'cause the guy always seems to love her so much and regrets taking money from her account but don't worry, he'll pay her back as soon as he can; he just needs to take a trip out of town for a 'job interview' first and she hasn't heard from him since but he'll call, don't worry and then...

It's stupid really, but there's just no end to the vulnerable and exploited or absolute idiotic in Ikebukuro.

However, this Taniyama Mai calmly describes her issue; she's the director of an unusual service branch for a larger company, she's held up her end of a contract she made, and the punk kids she made the stupid mistake of dealing with are long overdue in paying up.

The typical story of most of their clients, except he's never worked a job for a ghost hunter.

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Author's Notes: Collection of shorts featuring Shizuo and Mai. Nothing else to say.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita and Suzuhito Yasuda.


	2. Chapter 2

2. Shizuo doesn't believe in ghosts. He'll acknowledge the existence of dullahans and vampires and demon swords that want to cut him to pieces, but the first two are living beings and the latter is an object, and a cursed one at that. He's never given much thought to what happens after death. He'll leave that for the flea's twisted mind to work out.

But ghosts _don't_ exist and it feels wrong to go after these kids because they didn't pay a woman for such an obvious scam. Nevertheless, Tom (apparently he has a bit of an occult side) insists a client is a client. So one brief chat with snarky juveniles, a splintered coffee shop table, a couple bloody noses, and another trip across Ikebukuro later, the Taniyama woman has her swindled pay.

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Author's Notes: Thank you to those who followed and favorited. You guys are awesome.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita and Suzuhito Yasuda.


	3. Chapter 3

3. She didn't think she'd ever cross paths with him again. She just wanted to get some long-overdue shopping done, but just as she's passing by that corner restaurant Russia Sushi, she's nearly killed by a vending machine crashing onto the sidewalk inches from her feet. Mai screams and backtracks several steps before tripping over her feet, dropping her groceries in the process. Her mind is reeling and she has no idea where to begin contemplating the destroyed machine before her. The proprietor of the shop runs into the street, shouting in an accent so thick she can barely understand what he's saying. "Fighting always bad! It make you hungry!"

A man comes running around the corner, stopping only to whip his head from side to side as though looking for someone. Mai feels her eyes widen in shock, looking back and forth between him and the scrap metal. Had he _thrown _that? Some canned coffee falls free of the machine and rolls toward her, but she ignores it. "Heiwajima?"

He turns to her, his teeth clenched and his eyes insane with rage.

"_What the hell?_" She demands, because she can't quite think of anything else to say.

"Aren't you that ghost lady?"

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Author's Notes: First impressions are important, but no one ever talks about second impressions.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	4. Chapter 4

4. Mai really doesn't like getting too close to people anymore, but unfortunately her inquisitive nature has her trotting alongside the guy in the bartender get-up several days after the incident and prompts she's guessing there's a story behind the abnormal strength. He's startled at her appearance and rudely tells her to shove off, he's busy, and refuses to answer with what? She doesn't press the matter and continues on her way. It's not over, though. She _is_ going to get an answer eventually. It's just Naru's not paying her to argue with random people.

So she sets out for the university to endure dry lectures on world history, write up a boring research paper in psychology, and to take a grueling exam for her theology class. Then it's off to her full-time job as branch director of SPR's Ikebukuro office. It's a big responsibility and she feels proud Naru trusts her for the job. She's determined to prove he didn't make an error in judgment.

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Author's Notes: Five and Six will be shorter ones, too, but seven will be longer. Promise.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	5. Chapter 5

5. Over the next few weeks Shizuo notices that, unlike others, Taniyama doesn't seem to be afraid of him at all. Instead of running for cover like a sane woman would, she stands her ground and faces him head on, like some kind of wild animal defending her turf. He's not entirely sure what to make of that. Granted, she's never made him angry enough to send her flying, but part of him is relieved she isn't scared, especially after he almost killed her. However, the other part of him wonders what the hell's wrong with her. Being near him is dangerous and he says so.

But she shrugs, balancing a stack of paranormal books she's carrying, and replies, "If I was worried, would I be here? You are, hands down, _not_ the scariest person I've ever seen."

He likes her attitude, he decides, even if the occultist side to her is hardcore. So he makes no comment, scoops up three of the books that have escaped her grasp, and plops them back on top of her pile.

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Author's Notes:

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	6. Chapter 6

6. She doesn't know what to make of him. She's baffled by the whole thing. But instead of running and taking cover like the rest of the civilians when the strongest man in 'Bukuro starts throwing vending machines, dumpsters, and God knows what else he can find, she observes from a safe distance and wonders what's the secret behind it. He's strong, but he's not large like Simon and he's definitely not a bodybuilder. Nonetheless, his strength is absolutely inhuman. No man alive could pull this off. He's a phenomenon, and like any paranormal investigator worth her salt, she's intrigued.

Doing research and making a full-scale report would just be demeaning, though, even with permission. Frankly, she wonders how the flying traffic signs of Ikebukuro haven't gained nationwide publicity, but she decides she doesn't care. After all, avoiding the media has been a big part of her life's work since she was a teenager, so she's glad she doesn't have to lose a friend over that.

Then it occurs to her how much this observing-spying, more like-is disturbingly reminiscent to another Ikebukuro regular she knows and she moves on, reviewing her strategy for her latest investigation request.

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Author's Notes: Not much to say...except chapter seven is definitely going to be longer.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	7. Chapter 7

7. "So exactly how long have you been in the ghost hunting business?" He asks one afternoon when runs into her again.

She takes a moment to think about it. "Since my freshman year in high school, so it's been about six years now."

That's a long time to be in a fraudulent business, but he decides to keep his mouth shut and asks instead why she's so involved in it. Well, dedicated is a better word. Sometimes when he's between jobs, he finds her frequenting various coffee shops across Ikebukuro either staring at her computer or hunched over a pile of books and continuously jotting down notes. And unless parapsychology is suddenly a university major, he knows she isn't studying for her college classes. Her books always have a title like, _The Analytical Approach to the __Paranormal_, _The Life Cycle of a Standard Poltergeist,_ or _Classification of Demons and other Otherworldly Entities._ Most of them are written in English, too, and she's occasionally joined by this foreign priest fellow, probably to help her with translations. He's never even seen high school students this devoted to their studies.

"Why am I so involved in it?" She gives it some thought, then shrugs. "Maybe because the dead have something to say. And when they do, I listen and help them to where they need to go, wherever that may be."

The seriousness of her response leaves him a little rattled and thinking of Celty suddenly, so he asks her if she knows what a dullahan is.

Mai tilts her head to the side, looking confused at the abruptness of the question, yet she answers, "It's a member of the Sidhe, the fairy world of Irish folklore, and something of a cross between a banshee, which heralds an approaching death, and a reaper, which severs the connection between body and soul and guides the soul into the afterlife. They're shy by nature and don't usually like an audience, which leads to their aggressive behavior toward humans catching sight of them. So I take it you know Celty?" Shizuo stiffens in surprise and she smiles. "Thought so. Isn't she just the sweetest?"

"Yeah, I guess…." He's never heard the Headless Rider being described as 'sweet' before, though he wonders how and when Mai met her, and who else she knows in 'Bukuro.

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Author's Notes: Just a heads up, if Mai seems slightly out of character just remember she is twenty-one years old and a bit more mature than her impulsive, borderline irritating teenage self. Not that I don't like Mai's character; I just think that somewhere along the line she would figure out 'Why yes, Mai, it is strange two sinister children are asking how many people are in the cursed house, a doll talking to a child is probably worth mentioning to one of your coworkers, and if one of your friends wants to be a bitch you should keep an eye on her anyway because of the homicidal psycho with the blood fetish.'

Wow, that's my longest note yet. Did I mention I don't own either of these series?

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	8. Chapter 8

8. He's not looking forward to this job. Tom's been badgering this joker for four days, but for some (stupid) reason, this guy is freakishly (idiotically) immune to hearing the name Shizuo Heiwajima. As he stands outside the target's favorite hang-out, slipping his tinted glasses over his eyes and taking a long drag from the latest cigarette, he wonders how best to approach the situation.

"Morning, Heiwajima." Mai sorta has a way of sneaking up on him when he least expects it. He never lets on that her inexplicable appearances startle him, but there are times when he knows she can tell. She always grins when she realizes she scared him. But today, she looks thoughtful, almost concerned, and asks, "Got a job today?"

"Yep. You?" That's a stupid question, he tells himself; if she were on a job, she wouldn't be there right now. She'd be off watching monitors like a cat facing a gopher hole, or whatever it is she does. He's not entirely sure how she runs her ghost business. As expected, she shakes her head, peers into the coffee shop, and asks him who he's after. It's the college-age kid, the one with the stupid-ass hair cut, he mutters, taking another drag from his cigarette before dropping it on the sidewalk and crushing it underfoot.

She sends a sideways glance his way, smiling sympathetically, and asks if he wants to talk, which he doesn't, but for some reason, he finds himself telling her the whole story. She's a good listener, quiet, almost solemn. In a way, it sorta reminds him of Kasuka. So that's it, he says, and she smiles and asks if he's feeling better.

"Yeah, actually."

"I'm glad." Taniyama crosses her arms and leans all her weight on one leg. "It's been bugging me what your deal is. Not that I ever really thought you were a bad person, but I get curious like that."

"You didn't think I was a bad person?" He gives a rueful smile. "That's comforting in a way. What makes you think that?"

"I just know you're not a threat." She shrugs with an almost apologetic smile. "It's the way I am. My boss calls it my animal instinct."

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Author's Notes: It's fun writing from Shizuo's point of view.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	9. Chapter 9

9. He realizes he's started watching her semi-inappropriately, especially when she walks, taking long strides with her heels clicking against the concrete and her skirt swishing about her knees. Her long hair is a rich brown she often wraps in a loose bun and pins with a kanzashi piece, braids, or wears in a ponytail. During the week, she's dressed as a typical businesswoman, always in black as though she's attending a funeral. Sometimes, he sees her wearing a long and gloomy black coat. The unofficial uniform of SPR, she calls it. On weekends, though, it's always a skirt with her. Or shorts. Sometimes a sundress. She has a contagious smile, very charming and positive, and her body is (he's ashamed he's even noticing this) slender and nicely curvy.

But by the time he really notices it himself that he's staring, he realizes Tom's smirking at him. "What?"

"You should ask her out, man."

"Shut up."

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Author's Notes: Short one again, I know. I couldn't think of a way to make this one longer.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	10. Chapter 10

10. "It's called Psychokinesis-Living Targets." She explains through a mouthful of chocolate chips and caramel. "PK-LT for short-God, this is so good-and it's a phenomenon in the human brain that activates during elevated stress (_par exemple,_ your rage) and results in superhuman qualities such as your strength. You gonna eat that?" She waves a spoon at the plate in front of him.

Shizuo's staring across the table at her as though she's peeled off her own face and confessed she's actually a panda. "You're off your rocker, you know that, right?"

Mai shrugs, feeling a little self-conscious but doesn't let it show and says indignantly, "You bought me ice-cream. I didn't know what else to talk about. Not to mention you still haven't told me what the occasion is."

"Can't I treat a friend?" He takes a bite of his coffee cake, decides he doesn't like the flavor and pushes it towards her. "Isn't PK a spoon-bending thing, though?"

"It is, but you've got a different kind. PK is classified into three groups: stationary targets, moving targets, and living targets. My best guess is you've got the living targets variety, only I've never seen or heard of a case like this before." She sets her spoon aside and gestures with her hands. "See, usually PK is the ability to 'influence' something with your mind, like willing a spoon to bend in PK-ST and a dice to land on six in PK-MT. If you really have PK-LT, then you're unique because you influence your own body rather than another living being."

At first, she thinks her words are completely lost on him, but he nods in consideration and asks, "So you have this PK ability, too, or something?"

"No, I've got ESP, or extrasensory perception. I sense things normal people don't."

"You make it sound as though we aren't normal."

Mai flinches at his dubious tone. "Sorry, I misspoke. What I meant is….well, no. I meant everything I said. I'm not normal and proud of it." She sits back in her chair and crosses her arms, smug. "So there."

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Author's Notes: Special thanks to Scordatura for sending me the link for Durararara! 3-Way Standoff.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	11. Chapter 11

11. "Do you have siblings?"

"One." He answers through a cigarette. "A brother called Kasuka. What about you."

"Only child." She shifts her hold on her umbrella, twirling the canopy a little as she waits for the walk sign to turn. "Do you talk to Kasuka much?"

Shizuo admits no, and Mai argues he should. "We're not that close, Taniyama. And even if we were, he's always busy, so we wouldn't have time to meet anyway."

She bows her head. "All the same. He's your brother; you should talk more."

It's odd how she talks as if she's known him for years. Although she's about three years younger than him, every so often he hears a certain depth in her voice that suggests someone far older than either of them. It's in her eyes, too, and then he realizes that throughout this entire conversation, standing before the crosswalk, she hasn't once looked at him.

"Everything all right?"

"Sorry if I seem meddlesome." She apologizes. "I just think family's important, especially the one you were born into. See….I don't have any surviving family. Both my parents were gone by the time I turned thirteen."

Her words shock him because there's no way he would've ever guessed that. She always seems so cheerful and full of life. Who would've thought she'd been orphaned as such a young age. He asks if she has her grandparents yet, aunts or uncles, maybe a distant cousin. No, no, and no.

"I don't have a single living relative." She takes a breath. "That's why I'm out today. I'm going to visit my parents' graves."

He's silent as the walk sign flashes and they move across the intersection. Upon reaching the sidewalk on the other side, he asks if she want him to go with her, but she declines, saying this is something she needs to do herself. As they part ways, he turns to watch her go and wonders about everything else she's done all on her own.

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Author's Notes: I've always been impressed by the independence and fortitude Mai displays regarding her parents.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	12. Chapter 12

12. She's waiting at a bus stop to go to Shibuya when a long, thin arm cloaked in a black sleeve winds its way around her slender shoulders and pulls her close. "Well, if isn't my dear little psychic. Off to see the Big Boss, are we?"

"Do you know that whenever you come within six meters of me, my stomach does this weird contortionist act?" Mai mutters, pinching the fur-lined sleeve between two fingers and peeling Izaya's foul arm away from her, like it's the filthiest rag she's ever come into contact with.

"Now don't be like that!" Izaya laughs, leaning forward and twisting his neck around to look at her. "I just wanted to say hello to my one of my most favorite humans, that's all. Word on the street is you've formed a bit of a rapport with Shizuo Heiwajima. A bit of an impressive feat, I must admit."

Mai swallows bile in her throat, trying to focus. Coming into contact with Izaya makes her nauseous, following his train of thought makes her head hurt or spin, depending on the dialogue, and him directly touching her makes her think she's going to have a heart attack or a seizure. All due to the unnatural (almost threatening) presence he gives off. She rolls her shoulders, as though trying to dump a load on the sidewalk, then asks, "What does it matter to you?"

"Oh, not much." He stops in front of her. "Just the simple fact that I hate Shizu-chan and try to stay out of his way as much as I can."

A human Izaya hated? She raises an eyebrow but dismisses the notion with a sly, "So what you're saying is if I continue to hang out with Heiwajima, I can finally get you to leave me alone?"

"Not necessarily." He states offhandedly, pulling out one of his many cell phones. "There's actually a website online where people go to report Shizu-chan's whereabouts, so I can avoid him indefinitely if I so choose. You're on there, too. Wanna see?"

"_What?_" Mai cries, snatching his phone away and finds herself staring wide-eyed at a message board covered in posts. Most are about her bartender friend, but she can see quite a number of them include 'a short woman with long, brown hair and wearing a long, black coat'. "Wha….I….ohh…." So much for the low profile Naru liked to maintain for SPR. How in God's good name had this….she raises her poisonous cinnamon eyes to Izaya's, livid with rage. The man curls his mouth in an insufferable grin and laughs. "You're unbelievable." Mai growls.

"Don't make such scary faces, Mai! It doesn't suit a lady!"

God, where was Shizuo with a garbage disposal bin when you needed him.

_Oh, looks like he's by the West Exit._

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Author's Notes: I'll be explaining how these two met in a later chapter. Probably when Shizuo finds out about this little 'friendship'. I think Mai's abilities would mark her as a special human being in Izaya's mind, and he would probably adore her for that. Poor Mai.

Oh, and I used the metric system since that's what the use in Japan (and everywhere but the freakin' US). Six meters is about twenty feet.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	13. Chapter 13

13. _I thought she was a shinigami._

Shizuo blinks twice at the PDA screen, then observes Celty's embarrassed posture. "Seriously?" The yellow cat helmet nods gravely. Well, that certainly hadn't been the answer he'd been expecting when he asked the Transporter how and when she met Taniyama. "A shinigami." He repeats skeptically. "Really? You know they work in pairs according to Japanese folklore, right?"

_Her partner could've taken a sick day!_ Celty protests, pulling her phone close to her chest. _But since dullahans and shinigami are practically in the same family of paranormal beings and I'm a foreigner, I thought she would be mad about me moving in on her territory or something!_

Despite his confusion, Shizuo finds himself laughing pretty hard. "Okay, I doubt supernatural creatures have immigration laws, and even if that's what she was, she'd have tried to toss you out twenty years ago." He grins at the absurdity of the notion. "Besides, shouldn't you have sensed she was human or something? How did this happen?"

Celty heaves a reluctant sigh and begins writing how her story, significantly calmer now but definitely humiliated. _I might have been unintentionally stalking her._

"Kay…." This conversation was definitely straying into a territory they rarely ventured. "What happened?"

_I was on my way home after a job in Shibuya when I suddenly felt the presence of a spirit. It had been so long since I'd sensed one, I assumed they didn't exist in Tokyo and that I'd have to go north to find beings like that. So instead of heading home right away, I decided to see what it was. That's when I saw her. _She pauses. _She was standing at the end of a dark alley, holding-well, cradling-this pale blue light in her hands._

_It was the strangest feeling, like she was something out of this world and I was the intruding human. She stood there for almost an hour, talking to this soul, and then she smiled and lifted it toward the heavens. In all the memories I have of this city, I'd never seen anything so tranquil or beautiful._

Shizuo tilts his head, perplexed. "And you immediately thought death goddess?"

The dullahan indignantly shoves the phone in his face, _Shut up!_

"So what happened after that?"

_She saw me and freaked out. I freaked out, too, since I thought she was a reaper and everything. It wasn't until she drew herself upright and started chanting this old Buddhist mantra I realized she was just a human woman. Death gods don't need incantations to defend themselves._ Celty gives a little shake Shizuo interprets as an sheepish laugh. _But we straightened it out. She was really surprised I could talk. No, she was more surprised at how human I was, she said. Down-to-earth or something like that._

"She did describe you as sweet once." Shizuo points out.

A puff of black smoke escapes the bottom of Celty's helmet. _Did she really say that? Mai's pretty amazing herself. She just seems to listen with all her heart and knows exactly what to say when you need to hear it. I'm glad to hear you've become friends with her, too._

Author's Notes: Celty's memory of meeting Mai for the first time was inspired by a fanart I once saw on Deviantart.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	14. Chapter 14

14. "Hey, Taniyama?"

"Hm?" She's sitting on the front steps of her office with a disassembled camera across the sidewalk, her brow scrunched up in concentration as she soaks piece after piece in a bowl of rubbing alcohol and looks for any other damage before she puts it back together. According to her, she was investigating a local high school last week when a couple of students late for class crashed into her and she dropped it. He asks why she's doing this outside as a side note and she mumbles something about better lighting.

He watches her work for almost a minute, a little fascinated by how precise her fingers move, then asks, "When you said you're proud to be different from everyone else, did you mean that?"

"Without a doubt." She purses her lips, then sets the parts aside and looks up at him, propping her elbows against her knees and resting her chin in her hands. "What's wrong?"

And just like that, she somehow knows something's bothering him, so he recounts the events of that afternoon: an encounter with Izaya, a few leftover members of the Yellow Scarves, Simon breaking up the conflict. As usual, Taniyama listens with an open ear and solemn eyes, then states quite abruptly. "I see death."

"Huh?" And she goes on to describe the power she has but has never told him about, telling stories where a cold knife opened her throat, where she was beheaded by a katana, where she fell to her death from a cliffside, and countless others. She starts strong, nonchalant, but slowly he notices the sick, ashen color in her face and her hands are no longer steady. "Taniyama….?" This is the first time he's ever seen her like this.

She takes a breath and calms down. "For a long time, I wished I didn't have to have an ability like that. Anything would've been better than living out final memories that weren't mine. But then I realized something one day." She smiles up at him. "I don't have any control over the power I was born with, and if there's nothing I can do, I might as well accept it. And then, eventually, I learned to be proud of it. It still hurts having these kinds of nightmares, but if a moment of my pain means a lifetime of peace for another, then I think it's a fair price."

Part of him wants to say she's a dumbass for just taking the shit fate threw at her, but her smile keeps him quiet. However sad or happy it makes her, she's found peace with what she can do and doing so has given her a certain strength he rarely sees in people. They're a lot alike, he realizes. Both of them were born with an ability they saw as a curse that brought nothing but trouble, and yet she was still able to see daylight, even when she's buried alive, murdered in the darkest alley of Shinjuku, or freezes to death one stormy night in the mountains. She's always able to see daylight.

Is that what she was trying to tell him?

Shizuo opens his mouth to speak, but then suddenly that kid from Raira-Mikado or whatever his name was-steps out of the office door behind the ghost hunter. "Hey, Taniyama, where did you want us to put the notes from the Osaka case? The one with the Fujimoto family. Hm, Shizuo?"

Taniyama turns to look at the kid. "Backroom, put them the F File on the Cursed Articles shelf. And don't get it mixed up with possessed dolls. Those are filed under Inanimate Vessels."

"Got it." The high schooler ducks back inside.

Shizuo raises an eyebrow. "You hire on some part time help when I wasn't looking?"

"It's only temporary until he works off his and his little girlfriend's debt for breaking my camera last week."

"I thought you said those fancy cameras of yours were insured."

Taniyama grins impishly. "Remind me to someday tell you the _full_ story of how I started working for SPR. But I gotta ask you something first. What are your plans for Christmas Eve?"

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Author's Notes: This comparison is one of the main building blocks of this pairing. Mai's acceptance of what she can do comes from her analysis of Ubusuna in After School hexer. 'If having powers makes you as sad and crazy as that, then I don't think I want them.'

As for the appearance of Mikado, I could totally see mature, savvy Mai giving him a hard time in the ghost business. She probably views it as a form of personal therapy for Naru's method of training her in.

Also, 694 words! This is officially the longest chapter I've posted for this story!

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	15. Chapter 15

15. It's snowing by the time Midnight Mass concludes and Mai leaps out the church's front door with a loud 'whoop!'. Takigawa snatches her by the arm as she slips on a patch of ice but ends up being pulled to the ground with her. Laughing hysterically, the young woman leaps back to her feet, nearly slips again, and giggles a redundant warning to everyone behind her. Masako shakes her head, but Mai can see the smile she's hiding behind her sleeve. Takigawa climbs back to his feet, bringing his hand down on Mai's hair. "Glad you could make it. Since Naru and Lin aren't here, I was afraid you'd be cooped up in your office tonight."

Mai crosses her arms with a crafty smile. "The Ikebukuro Branch is my office, therefore my rules. If Naru wants to work on a holiday, that's got nothing to do with me." Ayako agrees with a self-important nod of approval while Yasu piles on with the effect of stress on the 'youth of Japan', which earns him a few turned glances from even the Ikebukuro citizens.

_Is he always like this?_ Celty asks, coming to stand beside her.

"Pretty much." Mai nods, then glances around the walkway at everyone else who made it tonight. John's occupied with a group of churchgoers and doesn't look like he'll be free for quite a while, not that Mai herself has time to talk anyway what with everyone from SPR cornering her and asking how business is in Ikebukuro. She answers it couldn't be better and introduces everyone to Shinra and Celty, and no one makes a comment about Celty's helmet, to her surprise. Mai smiles, relieved she doesn't have to explain the headless thing quite yet, then turns to the gate.

Shizuo promised he'd try to show up, too, but so far she hasn't seen him. And none of the other Ikebukuro regulars have heard from him all night. Mai tries to stay apathetic about it; after all, it was a only casual invitation. He must've gotten held up at a job or something.

Someone throws a snowball at her and she whips her head around, spraying snowflakes everywhere. "Sorry!" Kadota shouts. "I wasn't aiming at you, Taniyama!" Regardless, Takigawa throws one back at him and misses. Then Walker and Erika join in, followed by Yasu, Saburo, and anyone else within throwing distance, and within thirty seconds, a storm of snowballs is flying across the churchyard and parking lot.

Mai finds herself ducking behind a clump of snow-covered bushes with Masako and a fifteen year old boy she suddenly recognizes as Thanatte, the possessed child from the Christmas Case six years ago. It takes them half a minute to formulate an attack strategy (mostly against Yasu and Takigawa, who seem to be their chief opponents) and the trio scrapes together as many snowballs as they can.

The battle plan, however, does go somewhat awry when they're ambushed by Ayako and Erika, followed up by Kadota and Yasu, then Thanatte and Masako decide to turn on Mai altogether. She shrieks and covers her head, finding herself being pelted by snowballs in every direction. The abuse lasts only a couple seconds and she leaps up, screaming she will _end_ everyone there. Walker throws one last frozen projectile at her, but she dodges and goes running to the gate, hoping to take shelter outside the wall circumventing the property.

"Whoa!" She yelps, narrowly avoiding a person on the sidewalk, dances around clumsily on her heels to keep from wiping out again, finds her balance, and looks up. Shizuo stares down at her, somewhere between puzzled and amused. Mai draws herself upright, planting her hands on her hips. "_You_, sir, are late."

He tilts his head to the side, smiling a little. "Why are you covered in snow? You look like a snowman."

"Snowwoman."

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: I was going to finish this one and post it tomorrow morning, but I couldn't sleep, so here it is now. Happy Holidays!

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.


	16. Chapter 16

16. When she hears fighting, Mai unconsciously quickens her pace, gradually accelerating into a mad dash to the main street in time to see a battered and dented yield sign slide across the concrete. She whips her head to the right and takes off running toward the two fighting men in the middle of the crosswalk. This is insanity and reckless, she knows that, but she's chosen to ignore the voice of reason in her head. After all, conflict doesn't end without risk, she thinks and makes a beeline for the narrowing gap between her friends.

"Stop it already!" She yells, forcing her way between them.

There's no pain, not at first, and when it comes, it's slow and cold. It only burns when her fingers twitch, the muscles shifting around the knife embedded in her forearm. Izaya and Shizuo are both frozen, staring at her in astonishment, but she glares at them, one after the other. Then she slowly moves her arm away from the info broker, sliding the knife out of her skin with as much dignity as she can.

But agony wins out over dignity and she screams, cradling her bleeding arm to her chest and shouting angrily, "You unbelievable bastards!" She doesn't see when Simon arrives on the scene because she's too busy yelling at her idiots. Izaya has an insufferable smirk on his face while Shizuo has the decency to be concerned. Part of her feels bad for that, but then she remembers this is his fault, too, no matter who was holding the knife.

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: Oh, boy….

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	17. Chapter 17

17. Shizuo isn't sure how to act in a situation like this. So far as he can remember, the only woman who's ever scolded him like this is his own mother. Izaya and himself are in the familiar storeroom of Russia Sushi, except instead of Simon doing the scolding, it's Taniyama. She's been screaming at him and the flea for nearly twelve minutes now, and shows no sign of stopping or running out of breath. Seated across from her is Simon himself, smiling approvingly as he treats and bandages her arm.

"Really, idiots? You're supposed to be grown men, yet here you are-"

Izaya leans over to him, wearing an adoring smile. "She's so cute when she's this angry." Shizuo glowers at him, then for a half-second agrees before violently killing the thought in his mind. He feels awful she got caught in the middle of the skirmish. Not only that, but she had been _stabbed!_ Not somewhere fatal, but it must've hurt. He could still see her wincing, fighting back tears as the sushi man arrived on the scene, thanking her for diffusing the situation and leading them all back here.

"-assholes!" Taniyama finishes, stopping to pant, and he finds himself suddenly staring at her heaving chest, before he tears his eyes away.

Silence prevails over the room, then Simon ties off the bandage and folds his large hands over Taniyama's tiny wrist. "There. All better now, _da?_ No yell anymore, eat sushi, make nice. Shizuo still friend. And Izaya still annoy you."

Taniyama nods, her jaw clenching, then mutters to herself for a minute. "Damn you both."

That stings a little, but he deserves it. Shizuo hangs his head, unable to apologize. Not that he doesn't want to, it's just he doesn't feel any amount of begging for her forgiveness with be enough to make amends.

Then Izaya opens his mouth to make some cheeky remark about Taniyama's recent actions, and the woman explodes, "Izaya!" And Shizuo notices she calls the flea by his given name, not his family one. "I swear to God, when I get home, I'm going to poison something in the fridge and watch you die a horrible, painful death!"

The info broker breaks into a hysterical laugh. "Now, now, Mai, there's no need for such a drastic measure."

Taniyama stands, holding up her arm and shrieking indignantly. "You _stabbed _me, jackass! If you think I'm going to-"

"Whoa, hold on!" Shizuo holds his hand up for their attention, though he's focused only on Taniyama Mai. "When you get home...do you two _live together?_"

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: To whom it may concern, this is not a love triangle.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	18. Chapter 18

18. Izaya looks like he's about to start laughing all over again, but Taniyama is mortified, confirming his suspicion. Simon looks back and forth between all three of them, pointedly blocking the door to make sure they settle this. How in the world had someone like Taniyama gotten mixed up with that no good, blood-sucking _flea_ of all people? Through one of his sick internet suicide games? No, she's way too level-headed to contemplate taking her life. It occurs to him Mai's psychic abilities may have drawn attention to herself and might have Izaya tracked her down out of curiosity, but then why the living arrangement….

Taniyama drops a seat again and covers her face, but answers, "Yes, actually. Izaya's my roommate."

"Since when do you need a roommate?" Shizuo demands, turning to Izaya. The bastard rented a ridiculously spacious place out in Shinjuku, and had plenty of cash to spare. There was no way he was in a financial crisis big enough to warrant a roommate.

"Since I decided I wanted a pet." Izaya answers almost innocently, and pulls Taniyama into a tight hug, which seems to both sicken and embarrass her. "And what better pet to have than a member of the human race, especially one as rare and exotic as an authentic medium." Shizuo raises an eyebrow as his old classmate and rival strokes Taniyama's hair with as much affection as a toddler with a kitten.

"Get off me, you freak!" The woman shrieks, yanking herself out of his arms and backing away, then turns to yell at Shizuo. "Who I live with is none of your concern. I just needed a place closer to Ikebukuro than where I was living before, and I found from an ad online he had a room available. His apartment was the nicest I'd seen, he said I would only be paying 30,000 yen a month, and there wasn't a lease, so I figured the pros outweighed the cons and took it. Plus, I haven't had to buy my own groceries in two years."

"Why?

She actually gives him a funny look, as though he should've known the answer, but it's Izaya who answers, "Standard protocol dictates you feed your pets, Shizu-chan. What do you think I am? Some kind of monster?"

Taniyama pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs.

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: Wow, Mai's level of tolerance must be god-like at this point. This is actually salvaged from another fic that didn't pan out. It had to do with Mai looking for a place to live and being 'adopted'/collected by Izaya.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	19. Chapter 19

19. As soon as they leave the shop, Shizuo walks away from her without a word, hands in his pockets. Mai watches him go for an instant, then begins to follow, speedwalking to keep up with his longer stride. "Heiwajima! Heiwajima, wait!" He doesn't stop. "Hold on, please. Shizuo, I'm sorry!" The man whirls around, staring at her, though the way light is hitting his sunglasses prevents her from reading his expression. She clenches her fists and refuses to look at him, staring at his shoes instead. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Izaya. I know you hate him and everything, but just because I live with him doesn't mean I'm involved with any of those schemes he does. In fact, I only spend maybe ten hours at the apartment, and most of that is sleeping. I'm always working, or at my classes, or wandering around Ikebukuro. So please don't-"

"_What the hell is wrong with you?_"

Mai flinches, closing her eyes, and suddenly realizes she's crying. In a flash, she reaches up and wipes her thumb over her eyes, hoping Shizuo hasn't noticed. She blinks and another tear falls, so she bites her lip, waiting.

"I don't care who you're living with!" Startled, she raises her head, and Shizuo swears, looking to the side. "Dammit!"

It didn't matter to him? Then why had he left so suddenly? Why was he so angry about if it wasn't about her? She drags her sleeve across her eyes again. "You're not mad about that?"

"Of course not!" He glares down at her. "_You got hurt because of me!_"

"Oh, please don't worry about that!" She holds up her arm, even though her injury is well concealed beneath her winter coat. The disinfectant Simon used still stings and although she's certain he's done a fantastic job, she thinks she'll pay a visit to Shinra just to be safe. She could always go to Ayako, but then she'll be forced to answer a bunch of awkward questions. "I'm fine, really! If I hadn't jumped in the way, Izaya would have stabbed you in the shoulder. Or maybe the neck. I honestly thought he would've been able to stop himself from getting me, he usually has more control than that. It was my fault, so don't blame yourself for it. I certainly don't."

"Taniyama-"

"Ugh….enough with the formality already!" Mai cries with an exasperated smile. "I'm Mai. Just call me Mai. We're friends, so please don't start avoiding me out of guilt or concern something like this might happen again. Remember, I don't think you're a bad person, and I don't want to lose your friendship. That would hurt more than any knife wound."

For a long time, Shizuo says nothing. He takes off his glasses to clean a lens, lights up a cigarette, and when he finally does speak, it's a long sigh, one she recognizes as an attempt to calm himself down. "Give me a couple hours to clear my head, okay?"

Relief floods her heart and she nods. "Take as long as you need."

"I'll treat you later. Sound good?"

She smiles, eyes closed, head tilted to the side.

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: I rewrote this four times.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	20. Chapter 20

20. It's time for one of his talks with Celty, and the dullahan is more than happy to meet him at South Ikebukuro Park. He's still uneasy about the stabbing incident a few weeks ago, but Mai hasn't brought it up since, so he's not sure why it's still bothering him. If Mai says she's all right, then it should be over and done with, not stuck in his head like a stubborn splinter. Normally, he lets it go, but his guilt isn't leaving him alone this time.

But he wants it to, before it starts to interfere with his and Mai's friendship. She's become an important person to him, as important as Celty and Miyoshi. And Kasuka. Mai is a remarkable friend: shy, patient, caring, sweet, fun, easy to talk to. It truly doesn't matter to him if she's involved with the damn flea and the idea of hurting her, or any of his close friends and family, is unthinkable. Except he knows he can't hurt Celty, not seriously. He's felt bad about the time he accidentally hurt Miyoshi, but he's never felt the crushing guilt he does now. It's like….if he were to hurt Kasuka-seriously hurt him-then this is how it would feel. This empty, hollow feeling.

Celty arrives, approaching slowly as though sensing his mood, and she gently asks what's wrong.

He explains, and it takes almost a quarter hour to completely describe the swirling, angry, and frantic thoughts in his head. The Transporter listens without a word, as usual. His fists clench, his teeth grit, he relaxes, takes a drag on his cigarette, looks up at the grey sky as snow begins to fall, he swears, crushes a hand into his eye, and says in a hoarse voice, "I don't know why I just-"

Celty holds up her PDA. _You love her._

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes:

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	21. Chapter 21

21. Mai finds herself getting disappointed on days when she doesn't see him on the way to or from work, even worried after not hearing from him for a while. And she realizes—albeit a little more subtly than she did with Naru as she's a grown woman and not a lovesick teenager—that perhaps she likes the daunting, mercurial bartender almost everyone's scared stiff of. Maybe he is more than just a friend at this point. She mulls the notion over at lunch, staring out the window of her office and ignoring how hot the potsticker is in her mouth. Or possibly she's just lonely and eager for more intimate company.

And she begins to wonder—although she's not wearing her old high school uniform and crouching on the ground with her hands over her conflagrant cheeks as she recognizes a crush—why, oh why, is it she always seems to fall for the type with a disagreeable personality. But Shizuo's not Naru. Even comparing the two of them is shameful. Aside from his short temper, she knows Shizuo's a good person. He's been kind to her. The obvious sort of kindness, not the obscure compassion Naru seems to favor. She enjoys the talks she has with Shizuo, she likes seeing him, she's fascinated by his ability, and she loves spending time with him.

But the last time she told someone she loved him, he doubted her. He asked if it was his twin she liked. Answers like that really throw a girl off her track and leaves her in a deep, dark hole wondering how she got there and how to get out again. She was miserable for weeks after Naru shot her down for the last time before he left for London, and she's in no way impatient to experience the same pain again.

Except Shizuo doesn't have a twin, but he's mentioned a younger brother whom she's never met (at least she doesn't remember meeting, not even in the dream world), so that wouldn't make sense, but she hadn't expected the 'Me or Gene?' question either and it's all so hectic, she just wants to rip her hair out.

She sets the uneaten potsticker back in the take-out box and props her elbows against her desk, threading her fingers through her hair.

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes:

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	22. Chapter 22

22. He keeps telling himself Celty's mistaken. Mai's just a friend. A good, wonderful, extraordinary friend. Loving her-no, even _considering_ loving her-is….is….he can't. Not with this power, no matter how much or how little control he has over it. She'll just wind up hurt again if they become closer, and she deserves more than that.

She deserves someone better than him.

He runs into her on his way to a job. She's standing in front of Russia Sushi, talking to Simon. What she says is lost in the distance between them, but he hears her laughter. It's a bright and happy sound, without any indication of her troubling childhood, her struggles with her nightmares, or any of the general bumps and bruises in life. She sees him and waves him over. He says he's busy and can't talk right now, shouldering his way past with a half-hearted wave. Tom looks at him in surprise, but he doesn't ask until they're well out of earshot. "You two have a fight or something?" Shizuo chooses not to answer, gritting his teeth and lighting up a cigarette, and Tom knows better than to press the issue.

He's just going to ignore it. Mai is just one of his few friends. Nothing more, nothing less.

Because that's what she has to be.

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: This is one of those moments where we need a third party shaking their head and muttering, "Do I have to do everything myself?

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	23. Chapter 23

23. She isn't sure if she wants to love someone else quite yet. Not that she's in any way still pining after Naru. She just knows an emotional attachment requires time, energy, and commitment, all of which she's more than willing to give, but what if that doesn't make her happy? What if she can't make Shizuo happy? After all, she is out of town constantly, chasing one ghost after another. Everything in her life centers around work now. It's where she spends most of her days, her classes are the basic backbone of the paranormal, and she spends much of her free time reading into it, studying relentlessly. Shibuya Psychic Research had become her life, without her even realizing it.

Mai sighs, and rolls onto her belly, lying sprawled on Izaya's black sofa with her feet in the air. A mountain of paranormal books, two laptops, old case files, a number of magazines and newspapers, and a haphazard stack of audio and visual recording CDs have concealed the coffee table, but she's not interested in any of it. In truth, her heap of craziness is there partially for the intent of annoying Namie, one of the few activities she and her obnoxious roommate both enjoy.

If it weren't for people like Takigawa, Ayako, Masako, John, Yasu, Celty, Shizuo, and even Izaya on occasion, she'd be trapped in her office all day. Perhaps it makes Naru happy that she's so focused, but it isn't Naru she wants to please. She doesn't love him, nor does she feel any form of infatuation for him anymore. It's actually embarrassing to look back on it now, and sometimes it instigates some uncomfortable silences between them when they meet at the Shibuya Branch.

No, she's glad she's met Shizuo. But she doesn't know if she wants to risk their friendship or risk hurting herself again.

She sighs.

And she resolves to say nothing.

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: The third party needs to straighten these two out.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	24. Chapter 24

24. It just slipped out.

It's a confession that catches him off guard and she goes red in the face as though surprised at herself, averts her eyes, and pretends to followed a fly buzzing around her head. He mentally repeats the declaration to himself several dozen times, because there's no way someone like her said that to _him_ of all people.

But she did say it, and that's the problem. He didn't imagine her claiming she loved him. She's still here, biting her lip and twisting her fingers together while she waits for an answer. He doesn't know what to say. Mai has a straight face. She's serious. There's no way it's possible, but she's dead serious.

There's no way.

"You wouldn't ever want to be with someone like me."

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes:

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	25. Chapter 25

25. She should've expected it, but what he says creates a tightening in her throat and leaves her struggling somewhat to breathe. Her head lowers and she focuses on the sidewalk, pondering if there's anything to be said. She'd been hoping so much, but if this is how it is….she bows at the waist, rights herself and smiles, then spins on her heel and begins to stride off. If that's what he wants, she doesn't have any right to intrude on that, she thinks.

But then she stops, something occurring to her.

And then, once again the stubborn girl she was in her teenage years, Mai whirls around with a spark of rage. Shizuo's already about twenty paces away, shoulders hunched and hands in his pockets, but she runs to catch up. He barks in surprise when she cuts in front of him, fists clenched at her sides and blazing eyes glaring furiously at him. But when he opens his mouth to speak, she silences him with a wave of her hand. "Listen up, telling me I'd never want to be with you isn't an answer!"

"What?"

Her arms cross. "I said _I_ love you. You telling me what _you_ think _I_ feel is complete and total bull! And you know what? This isn't the first time it's happened to me!" That's right. Naru had doubted her feelings, believing she loved Gene. And she let him go, believing he didn't feel the same for her.

But 'Me or Gene?' isn't a proper reply. And neither is 'You'd never want to be with someone like me.'

"Either you love me or you don't." She persists. "Which is it? Don't think about me. What do _you_ want?"

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes:

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	26. Chapter 26

26. Shizuo doesn't want to answer, but he can tell by the indignation on her face that isn't an option. Her brow furrows in anger and one of her forefingers begins to tap impatiently against her elbow. Obviously she won't take bullshit and ambiguous answers. He can tell she's angry, but he can read something else in her eyes. A sort of hopeful tone if tainted by an expectation of disappointment and a twinge of hurt, but he isn't sure. "Taniyama, listen—"

Her expression sharpens.

He caves. Letting his arms fall to his sides in defeat. "Dammit, I love you, too."

The change in her cinnamon eyes is sudden, from harsh and narrow to a satisfied gleam. "See? Couldn't we have avoided this drama if you'd just told me that from the beginning? Why wouldn't I want to be with you, Shizuo?"

He fidgets uneasily. "Because you're you and I'm…well, me."

Her head tilts. "And what's wrong with that?"

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: What indeed?

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	27. Chapter 27

27. It doesn't really hit her what she's done until later that night when she's cooking, standing over a skillet of frying chicken. Sure, she's been contemplating her little declaration all day, but the implications haven't really occurred to her until now. _So are we dating now?_ Most _friends_ don't just blurt out a spontaneous love confession, so this isn't exactly proper girlfriend and boyfriend etiquette and dynamics. Isn't the 'L' word supposed to be saved for a later time? _Great, this'll be fun._ She thinks, ignoring Izaya as he strides into the kitchen, asking what smells delicious. _Less than twenty-four hours in, and I have no idea what the hell I'm doing._

What had she said to Naru five years ago? _I like you in a special way?_ Mai sighs, frowning in concentration while Izaya pokes her cheek. Well, she's glad to know she wasn't screwing around this time. She stirs the chicken around a little, listens to it sizzle, slaps her roommate's hand as he tries to snag one, though she has no idea why he wants half-cooked poultry, and wonders, _So now what? I mean, we were friends, and now we're a bit more than friends. I guess._

_I hope._

Izaya finally pulls away, and for one naïve moment, she thinks he's going to leave her alone. "So." She hears him say. "You and Shizu-chan, huh?"

Slowly, she turns, eyeing him through narrow eyes, and asks in her lowest, most annoyed voice, "And just how did you find out about that?"

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: It's Izaya, how does he find out anything?

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	28. Chapter 28

28. He heads to work, same as usual, albeit it quieter, not uttering a single word even when Tom makes a brief attempt at conversation. He's not angry, just….well, he doesn't really give a shit what this feeling's called. Ikebukuro is just the same as it was yesterday. The same people, the same events, nothing out of the ordinary has happened today. Nothing has changed overnight since his and Mai's….whatever that was. It wasn't a fight. Or was it? There was some screaming yes, but it wasn't actually an argument. They haven't spoken since they parted ways yesterday either, and he wonders if that's a bad thing. Maybe he should call her, or at least send a text.

Suddenly, Celty's black bike comes flying so wildly over the guardrail Shizuo initially thinks that Kuzuhara asshole's chasing her again. But there's no sirens or reporters or punks shouting at her. She screeches to a halt on the sidewalk and leaps off her horse in a single movement, running toward him with a pre-typed message extended, _I just got a message from Mai! Did you really tell her?_

"Uh…."

_You did!_ The dullahan throws her arms in the air, more excited now than in all the time he's known her. _That's fantastic! I was hoping you would!_

"Okay, I don't really know what's going on here, so…." Tom begins, then Celty punches in another message to bring him up to date. He takes a moment to frown at her PDA, then looks up at him. "So you have a girlfriend now?"

Shizuo ignores him and frowns at Celty. "Why is my relationship with Mai so important to you?"

_You both have your own unique talents, and your own set of troubles to come with them._ His friend hesitates, though clearly ecstatic about the whole situation. _I just think if you two were to help each other through your struggles….well, it would be something wonderful._

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: I had an idea that Celty had an ongoing wager with Shinra over this, but I couldn't think of a place to fit it in.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	29. Chapter 29

29. She ends up cancelling their first date. Not that it was anything particularly special, just a mutual agreement to grab something to eat at Russia Sushi, but she still feels pretty melancholy about it. Naru wants her to handle a case up in Sendai, which annoys her to no end, yet work is work. Leaning her head forlornly against the van window, she tries to study the Big Boss's notes, but her mind keeps going back to the conversation she had on the phone almost two hours ago. Shizuo said it was all right, but her intuitive nature heard his disappointment, and she privately curses Naru for his bad timing and his short notice. Next time she'll say no, she resolves.

"Soo…." Takigawa begins. He's driving her to the investigation, and will be helping her out, as well as needle her about a certain something he heard from Yasu, who heard it from Masako, whom Mai told in confidence. Mai groans. She's already had this discussion with Ayako, Yasu, and even Lin of all people. And she would've bet big money _he_ would've stayed out of it.

"Yes, I'm seeing someone." She confirms, a little too depressed to tease him via dodging the question. "You've met him before. You know, the Christmas party at John's parish. The one who showed up late."

"The guy with the blond hair and the bartender get-up?" The Buddhist monk asks in surprise.

Mai looks at him, perturbed by this reaction. "Is that weird?"

"No, I just pictured you with someone….quieter, I guess?" Takigawa shrugs. "Though, knowing you're with….what's his name again?"

"Heiwajima. Heiwajima Shizuo."

"Right, I remember now." He glances at her from the corner of his eye. "I didn't talk to him very much at the party, but he seemed like an okay guy. And this comes as a bit of a relief, too. I was afraid you were gonna tell me you'd started dating that creepy roommate of yours."

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: And...Izaya startles Namie with a violent sneeze.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	30. Chapter 30

30. It's a full two weeks before Mai's back in Tokyo, and she surprises him by calling and asking if he's in the mood for sushi. He guesses picking up where they left off is her way of apologizing, not that she needs to. It doesn't bother him too much, her leaving for work unexpectedly like that. Besides, he doesn't know how long this relationship is going to last, but if these spontaneous jobs are a common thing, he's going to have to get used to it.

"Shizuo!" Simon calls as he approaches the shop. "You come to eat with Mai?"

"Yeah, you seen her yet?"

Simon shakes his head. "No. Is late. Mai always late. Shibuya say so."

He figures he means her boss, someone Shizuo still hasn't met. Come to think of it, Mai doesn't talk about him as much as she does about her other co-workers, and he wonders why that is. The most she's ever said about Shibuya really is the story behind that nickname of his. Shizuo brushes the matter off. It's none of his business, right?

"Mai good girl. Always have happy smile." Simon continues with a fond smile. "Is good for you."

"Shut up." He waves a hand dismissively, then raises his head as he spots Mai sprinting toward them, weaving her way through the crowded sidewalk. Shizuo smiles as she skids to a halt in front of them, nearly tripping in her heels. "You're late."

She grimaces. "Got here, didn't I?"

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: Little foreshadowing there. I like writing Simon. His voice is very easy to imagine.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	31. Chapter 31

31. _Where are you at? I want to see you._

…_.In Shibuya at the main office. What about work?_

_Got the day off. Stay there, I'll come get you._

_Okay, then. It's off Do-Gen Zaka. Second floor above a café. But are you sure you want to come all this way?_

_Don't worry about it. I'll be there soon._

He flips his phone shut after checking the address one last time and spots the bland logo painted on the glass door, reading, _SPR: Shibuya Psychic Research_. It's not often he comes to the Shibuya District. Compared to the Ikebukuro Branch, the main SPR office is virtually empty, except for the sparse, black furniture, an unoccupied yet astonishingly untidy desk, and a few full bookshelves lining the walls. It's a stark contrast with the office Mai keeps, which has more than a few plants and paintings decorating the place. She says it's because she likes a more welcoming atmosphere for clients, and he thinks that's probably why Ikebukuro SPR has a busier workload.

Mai and some really tall dude step out of an office, murmuring something about a case in Fukuoka, then Mai's face splits into a grin when she sees him. "That was fast! Give me a moment, I'm just finishing up here." The tall guy raises an eyebrow, turns to Mai in askance but doesn't say a word. "Oh, this is Heiwajima Shizuo. Shizuo, Lin, one of my co-workers."

Lin doesn't say anything at first, but then Shizuo notices Mai giving him a significant look. His lone brown eye frowns at her, then, "Oh, he's the-right, of course." He turns to him, bowing his head. "I apologize for that. Mai has so many friends in Ikebukuro now, it's hard to keep track of them all. It's nice to meet you."

"Yeah, same." Shizuo answers, a little bewildered. "So you've worked with Taniyama before?"

"For quite a while." Lin corrects, sounding amused. "I've known her since she was just a secretary."

Mai sends him a reproachful look, irritated but not angry, then locks her eyes back on her computer, "I just have to move a few files around and sign off. Shouldn't take too long, then we can go. Secretary...that's just rude."

"Take your time." He smiles as he watches her work, then he notices the door to the CEO's office is cracked open and someone is watching him. However, he only glimpses dark clothes and a shock of black hair before the door shuts completely.

_What's that asshole's problem?_

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: See what Mai did there?

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	32. Chapter 32

32. She wants to see the local shrine where he grew up, she'd said. She won't say why, but he he's willing to entertain her offbeat request. Besides, it's not like he had any better ideas on how to spend the afternoon.

It's nothing special. Actually, it's probably the most mundane shrine in Tokyo. Small, well-maintained temple, basic torii arch with a fraying shimenawa, and a bunch of old oak trees lining the little burial ground. When he steps past the old archway, he remembers being a kid again during every New Years and the occasional Obon festival. He and Kasuka used to chase each other, weaving in between the legs of much taller adults, shrieking when they caught each other and mustering up some convincing ashamed expressions when their mother scolded them.

So he supposes he has some good memories here, and he's glad he was able to show Mai, regardless of what she was hoping to find here.

He realizes she's stopped walking and turns to face her. Her eyes are closed and she's turned away, head slightly tilted upward as though listening to some faraway tune only she can hear and understand. She left her hair down today and the soft, winter breeze has caught a few stray strands.

She's beautiful, he thinks. Well, he's always thought that, but he's never seen her look so….at peace before. It was as though the world had fallen away, and she was the last thing allowed to exist. Standing in the snow.

Shizuo releases the breath of air he wasn't aware he'd been holding when she snaps out of her reverie and looks at him. Her eyes are bewildered, or disoriented, as though she's forgotten where she is, then her cheek flush in embarrassment. "Sorry. I kinda went somewhere for a little bit."

"Yeah?"

"Someone's taken good care of these grounds." She says, trailing the toe of her boot to make patterns in the snow. "I've been hunting ghosts for almost seven years now, and I've only come across a place like this twice. Who knew there was still sacred ground-_true_ sacred ground-right in the middle of Tokyo? Thank you for showing me this place today. This is amazing!"

He turns to look at the old temple again and thinks it's still the same as it's always been, but he says nothing. She just looks so happy.

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: This one was a lot of fun to write. These two having somewhat of a special, unorthodox moment and Mai demonstrating her own uncanny nature. Plus it's fun to write Shizuo and Kasuka as kids.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	33. Chapter 33

33. "You wanna go see a movie or something?" Shizuo asks. Mai raises her head from the box of take-out ramen she's been munching through, huddled on a cold park bench. He's sitting on the other side, leaving a large, uncomfortable gap between them. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see her shivering now and then and thinks maybe he should move closer to her. But then he isn't sure what she'll think of that, or how much territory her personal space covers. "It's okay if you don't want?"

"A movie?" She asks.

He nods, refusing to look at her.

A snort of laughter escapes through her nose. "I was just going to ask you the same thing. There's one I've been wanting to see for a while now."

This time, he looks at her, a little relieved. It was easy asking her out today through text messages, but asking her face to face is….he doesn't want to say intimidating, but he can't think of the word right now. This relationship isn't what he would call typical, not that he really expected it to be. Nor does he really know what constitutes as 'normal', come to think of it.

Seeing a movie together seems normal, he supposes, but it sounds a little cliché, doesn't it? It's different from their usual. Since they officially started going out a week ago (three if he counts the time she spent on her job), they eaten at Russia Sushi twice, went for a walk once, then there was the shrine today, and the ramen now…. "Which movie?"

"You remember Masako?" She asks.

"Yeah, your little sister, right?"

"Kinda." She slurps up a few strings of ramen. "Anyway, she's co-starring with Yuuhei Hanejima in a movie called Noisy Ghost, and it's supposed to be paranormally accurate. Apparently, the scriptwriters, director, producer, and all the other bigwigs wanted authenticity, so she was acting as a consultant, too. It sounds really cool." She grins sheepishly and scratches at her cheek. "Plus, it'd be fun to see it with you _before_ I carry out my promise to take Mairu and Kururi."

"You know the twins?"

Mai gives him a dull glance, then brightens and gives a disturbingly accurate demonstration of Mairu's shrill voice, "_Mai-oneechan!_" He flinches away at the sound, and she rolls her eyes. "Maddening."

"Sounds like it." He looks up at a street sign. "So Noisy Ghost?"

"If you don't mind." She adds, shrinking into her more shy self. "I don't really know what you're into, so…."

"No, it sounds fun."

"You sure?"

"Mm-hm."

"Okay."

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: I didn't think I'd finish this one tonight, but here it is.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	34. Chapter 34

34. Shizuo takes out his half-empty box of cigarettes, but she puts her hand over his. The sudden contact startles him, and he nearly yanks his hand away. Mai's voice is quiet. "Could you….not do that right now? It smells awful." He hesitates. After sitting through a two-hour movie, his need for a cigarette has become somewhat unbearable. "Just for a little longer? Or you can head home, and I'll walk back by myself."

They're almost back to her apartment, he considers. A few more minutes won't kill him, so he drops the box back into his pocket. Her face brightens. "Thank you."

Normally, it doesn't bother her that much. He's smoked in front of her numerous times, and she never complained. Well, not really. He's noticed her wrinkling her nose, or sometimes suppressing a cough, yet she's never said anything up until now. Odd…. "What did you think of the movie?"

Mai laughs. "It would've been more scary if I wasn't an actual ghost hunter. I kept seeing all kinds of references to some cases I've done, so it was more funny for me. Masako must've had a bigger influence with the scriptwriters than I thought. Especially that part where that spirit was inches from her face."

"That actually happened to her?" That scene in the movie even unnerved him when he saw that ghastly pale face staring Hara Masako-or her character rather-directly in the eye, their noses a hair's breadth apart.

"No, that was me." Shizuo turns to stare at her in shock but is unable to think of a response or question to counter her statement. "I'd never been so scared in my life before. Or since, really. I don't count my nightmares as my own personal experiences because they're someone else's, so the moment I stared into the face of death wins. Seriously, he could've leaned forward and kissed me if he'd wanted to."

Despite himself, he cracks an uneasy smile. _How in the world she did find the nerve to continue what she does? An encounter like that, even if it had been a nightmare-_

Mai stops walking and looks up at him suddenly. "Speaking of kissing, isn't it about time _you_ made an attempt like that?"

Shizuo's mind is blank for a second before he realizes what she's implying. "Uh…."

She crosses her arms behind her head, grinning slyly. "Oh, no rush, really, I just think it'd be really sad if a ghost succeeded before you did."

He flounders, backing two steps away from her, which makes her frown and laugh. "I don't see you making the effort." That's a dumb thing to say, and he mentally kicks himself for it.

"You're a head and a half _taller_ than me!" Mai points out in disbelief. "What do you want me to do? Stand on the guardrail? Fine, then, help me up there."

"What?"

"You heard me." Mai retorts, putting one foot on the rail, then thinks better of it and climbs over the side, holding her longcoat out of the way so it won't snag, then tries again. "Making a girl work this hard. For shame, Shizuo."

He catches her flailing hands as she totters dangerously on the railing, automatically steadying her. She's taller than him now, though not by very much. "Hey, you should get down. This isn't really safe."

Her face is right in front of him. "I know!" She cries, impatience bubbling over. "I've been waiting for you to kiss me since we visited the shrine. So do it already!"

He does.

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: If these last few chapters seemed a little frustrating or pointless, I apologize. This was the effect I was intending, as Mai and Shizuo were (and kinda still are) at an iffy point in their relationship. It'll be smoother from here on. Well, as smooth as it can be with these two.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	35. Chapter 35

35. Damn, she can still taste cigarettes. Not that it was anything she didn't expect. It's a smell that she's always unconsciously associated with him. A small squeak escapes her throat as her feet slip from the guardrail, but he doesn't let her fall. He holds her against him, one arm curled around her waist and his other hand resting against the back of her head, trailing down her brunette hair, sliding over her neck and ear before coming to rest over her flushed cheek.

She pulls away, covering her mouth with her hand. Her face is burning, and it won't stop. Not with the way he's looking at her. Smiling at her. And the way that smile reaches his eyes, instead of leaving them cold and impassive. It takes a couple-make that twenty-rapid heartbeats before she grins back and kisses him again. This one doesn't last long, barely two seconds, and he sets her slowly back on the sidewalk. The storm of moths and butterflies in her stomach calms down, but her racing heart barely slows. She can't even feel the cold anymore with how warm she feels, yet she still crosses her arms in front of her chest as though she's freezing.

He leans down and kisses her forehead. "See you tomorrow, then?"

"Yes." She nods. "After work?"

"Yeah."

Swallowing the bundle of nerves caught in her throat, she steps around him to head inside her apartment. After waving goodbye, she takes the elevator up to her floor, tries her door, and finds it unlocked. Izaya's sitting at his desk again, a little too close to the window for comfort. A flash of irritation automatically runs through her mind and she growls, "I suppose you saw that."

Her roommate looks up from his computer, "Saw what now?" And he looks and sounds so bewildered, she's positive he has no idea what she's talking about. Her face breaks into a huge smile and she's so happy she runs across the room and hugs the informant. Izaya goes rigid under her grip, for once too shocked to say anything. Mai lets him go before he can recover. Then she dances over to hug Namie, too, who's exiting the kitchen. The older woman recovers enough to pat her shoulder with a gentleness that surprises Mai.

She pulls away and retreats down the narrow hallway to her small room in the back. The door is shut, the lock clicks, and the light is left off. She tosses her bag in the corner and curls up on her bed, trembling in excitement.

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes:

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


	36. Chapter 36

36. "I've got something to tell you." She gestures for him to lean closer to her eye level, but upon doing so she pinches the bridge of his glasses and pulls them from his face. And before he realizes what she's done, she's running from him, laughing and twirling the sunglasses around in her fingers. Shizuo stands dumbfounded for moment, then races after her. Mai spins on her heels to check if he's following, then slips the glasses over her eyes and dances away, skipping and spinning on her toes. He's always been a fast runner, but Mai is petite and able to slip through spaces he can't.

She squeezes through a break in a chain link fence.

He vaults over it.

She darts between individuals in a crowd.

The crowd hastily moves aside for him.

She takes the stairs in the park.

He leaps down them.

And then he finally manages to seize her wrist at the bottom. Mai spins to face him with a teasing smile and pulls the glasses off her face and offers them back, eyes gleaming. "What's going on with you all of a sudden?" He asks, plucking the pair from her fingers and situating back over his nose where they belong. "You're awfully cheerful today."

"Do I need a reason?" She fiddles with the end of her braid, grinning and avoiding looking at him directly.

He likes it when she does that, he realizes. It's cute. He smiles and hesitantly reaches for her, trailing his fingers under her chin and tilting her face upward so he can kiss her. There's a warm, cinnamon smell about her he's never noticed before. Mai pulls away and grins up at him. "You're beautiful, Mai." Her face reddens and she turns away, stammering a nervous thank you along with a jumble of syllables he can't even understand, but he decides he doesn't care and pulls her close to him.

Her small frame expands and collapses as she takes a deep breath to calm herself. "I'm glad I met you. It's been almost half a year now, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, it has." And to think….a half a year ago, he thought she was just another woman coming into the office to plead on behalf of her deadbeat boyfriend.

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: Sorry about the slower updates, I'm kinda hitting a minor writer's block for this one. I'd been writing and scrapping ideas for Chapter 36 and I just wasn't satisfied with any of them until I found this in my old notes. There may be a very _short_ hiatus-(Emphasis on short: I can say with absolute certainty this break won't be any longer than a month. Not even a month, actually)-after this chapter so I can take some time to reevaluate where it is now and how to draw out the next segment.

This just seemed like a good point to pause and take a breather.

Thank you to my readers, reviewers, favoriters, and followers for sticking with me this far. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. You're all awesome!

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.


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